The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 1 — Section 440

converted son, the unconverted mother is against her converted daughter, o.nd so the mother-in-law against her da.ughter--in-la.w. The battle of principles comes into closest quarters in the house; so e. man's bitterest foes e.re those of his own household. (3) The hostility rages there even when it is not intended. "The father," says Quesnel, " is the enemy of his son, when through a. bad education, an irregular love, and a. cruel indulgence, he leaves him to take a. wrong bias, instructs him not in his duty, and fills his mind with ambitious views. The son is the father's enemy, when he is th~ occasion of his doing inj1:15tice in order t:> heap up an estate for him, and to make his fortune. The mother 1s the daughters enemy, when she instructs her to please the world, breeds her up in excess and vanity, and suffers anything scandalous or unseemly in her dress. The daughter is the mother's enemy, when she enaaaes her to comply with her own irregular inclina.tions, or to permit her to frequent balls and plays. 'l'he master is the enemy of the serva.nt, and the servant that of his master, when the one takes no care of the other's salvation, and the latter is subservient to his master's passions." (4) But the sword is also cast upon the earth (ver. 34). For what a.re the broad principles of" liberty, equality, and fraternity,"properly understood, but noble Christian principles? Yet in the hands of vicious visionaries a.nd a.theistica.l theorists they a.re so prostituted as to become the motives to insurrections, revolutions, and the :fiercest wars. W a.rs of religion and wars of ideas I IL IT WAS DESTINED TO BECONSTBUCT SOCIETY UPON A NEW .AND PERMANENT BASIS. I. Of this new world Jesus is the Head. (1) In respect to this he is styled the" second Adam ; " " the Beginning of the [new] creation of God ; " " the Firstborn of every creature," viz. in this "new creation." (2) Coming under his blessed influence we are constituted "new creatures." He is the Archetype of the new world as Adam was of the old. So "as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly." (3) But while the principle of union with Christ is as real as that of natural families, its essence is different. It is individual and spiritual Hence Jesus never married. In his kingdom there is neither ma.le nor female. In the resurrection they shall neither marry nor be given in marriage, but they shall be as the angels of God. (4) The kingdom of Messiah shall last for ever. 2. The principle of the new world is love to Ohrist. (1) He has a ri1?ht to our supreme love as our Creator and Redeemer and King. Who but God could justly use such language as "He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me"? (ver. 37; cl Deut. xxxiii. 8, 9). (2) He claims to be loved in his representatives. "He that receiveth you receiveth me." The treatment shown to an ambassador is in fa.et shown to his sovereign. (3) This love to Christ, who is himself the Impersonation of love in truth, is the reversal of all selfishness. It requires the lifting of the cross (ver. 38). The cross here is whatever pain or inconvenience, even to the sacrifice of life, cannot be avoided but by doing some evil or omitting some good. The figure is used in prophetic anticipation of the manner in which he should die (cf. Rom. vi. 6; Ga.L v. 24). 3. Henu the promises of the kingdom are to the loyal. (1) "He that :6.ndeth his life shall lose it." Love is life. The love of self and the world is the life of the unregenerate. The love of Christ is the life of the new birth. He that allows self-love to rule in his heart must lose the love of God, which is the life of heaven. He that saves his life by denying Christ shall lose it eternally (see John xii. 26). Tertullian notes that when the heathen judges would persuade Christians to renounce their faith, the terms they commonly used were " Save your life; " " Do not throw your life away." (2) "He that loseth his life for my sake shall find it." What a man sacrifices to God is never lost, for he finds it again in God. The Lord never permits an evil to befall us unless to prevent a greater, and to do us good. (3) "He that receiveth a prophet "-one who teaches the truth-" shall receive a. prophet's reward." He receives truth in the Jove of it, which is its own reward. The prophet shall pray for him (see Gen. xx. 7; 1 Sam. vii. 5; Job xlii. 8; Jas. v. 14-18). The hostess of EUjah was rewarded in her meal and oil. The rabbins say," He that receives a learned man or an elder into his house is the same as if he had received the Sheohinah." (4) Even a cup of cold water given in the name of a disciple to the humblest follower of Christ will be rewarded. Love cannot be willed into existence; but it may be wrought into existence. If we give God obedience he will give us love. Love i11 qe;i.ven. Heaven is love.-J. 4.. M, on. ,c, 1-42.J TltE GoS:PEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW.